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Social media should come as standard equipment for small businesses, writes Alison Diana. Studies show that more than half of small to midsize companies use social tools to drum up business, and that more than a third post daily messages to social-networking sites. If you're not doing the same, you risk getting left behind, she argues.

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Giving feedback to both successful and failing employees is part and parcel of being a leader -- but many people give feedback in ways that are deeply counterproductive, writes psychologist Heidi Grant Halvorson. Try to avoid praising people for either raw ability or effort, she suggests; instead, focus on pointing out specific things that people got right or wrong, to enable them to reproduce their successes and avoid repeating their failures.

A lead-nurturing program is crucial for businesses, writes Alexandre Sagala, who recommends thoroughly understanding your customers' buying cycle and figuring out how to measure results before starting a program. He suggests regular contact with potential customers and provides a timeline for e-mail and other types of communication.

Productivity dropped 1.8% in the second quarter, after growing at an annual rate of 6.2% last year and seeing reduced expansion in the first quarter. There is little chance of a productivity increase this quarter because companies have been slow to invest in equipment that might help workers increase output, experts said.

If employers want to attract younger talent and keep them satisfied on the job, they need to work closely with their IT departments to make sure their technology keeps up with a younger generation's expectations, Andy McLoughlin writes. At the same time, employers should use their tech-savvy employees to generate ideas and help train other workers, he writes.

Social media should come as standard equipment for small businesses, writes Alison Diana. Studies show that more than half of small to midsize companies use social tools to drum up business, and that more than a third post daily messages to social-networking sites. If you're not doing the same, you risk getting left behind, she argues.